System and method for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception around a transporation vehicle

Abstract

A system for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception around a transportation vehicle. The system incorporates a plurality of object detecting sensors. The sensors are arranged for monitoring at least one critical zone around the vehicle. A plurality of addressable light-emitting diodes are operatively associated with the object detecting sensors. The addressable light-emitting diodes are located on the vehicle for visual display to the driver. When a given sensor detects an object in the critical zone, a detection signal is transmitted to a LED controller. Upon receiving the detection signal, the LED controller transmits a control signal to selectively activate only those addressable light-emitting diodes which are associated with the given sensor, such that the activated light-emitting diodes visually communicate to the driver a location of the detected object in the critical zone.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception around a transportation vehicle, comprising:
 locating a plurality of object detecting sensors on the vehicle, the sensors being arranged for monitoring a corresponding plurality of critical zones located around the vehicle; 
 operatively pairing a plurality of addressable light-emitting diodes with the object detecting sensors; 
 locating the addressable light-emitting diodes on the vehicle for visual display to the driver, wherein locating the addressable light-emitting diodes on the vehicle comprises integrating the addressable light-emitting diodes in a display mounted on a trailer pulled by the vehicle and located for visual display to the driver through a rearwardly directed exterior mirror mounted on the vehicle, and arranging the light-emitting diodes in separate top, bottom, right, and left lines along respective top, bottom, right, and left marginal edges of the display, and wherein each of the addressable light-emitting diodes in the display represents one of the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle; 
 when a given sensor detects an object in the critical zone, transmitting a detection signal to a LED controller; and 
 upon receiving the detection signal, the LED controller transmitting a control signal to selectively activate only those addressable light-emitting diodes which are associated with the given sensor, such that the activated light-emitting diodes visually communicate to the driver a location of the detected object in the critical zone; and 
 tracking realtime movement of the detected object throughout the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle by selectively activating and deactivating the addressable light-emitting diodes, wherein movement of the detected object into a first critical zone activates a first addressable light-emitting diode in the display, and further movement of the detected object outside of the first critical zone and into an adjacent second critical zone deactivates the first addressable light-emitting diode and activates a second addressable light-emitting diode, the second addressable light-emitting diode being located in the display adjacent the first addressable light-emitting diode; and 
 illuminating the light-emitting diodes in the display in different colors in order to distinguish different ones of the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the display is located inside a cab of the vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the display is mounted on a pillar inside the cab of the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a LCD display. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said addressable light-emitting diodes selectively activate and deactivate when objects enter and leave the critical zone. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the object detecting sensors comprise a plurality of radar transceivers adapted to direct radar waves into the critical zone, and to receive reflected radar waves from any objects located in the critical zone. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the radar transceivers comprise short-range radar. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of radar transceivers comprise at least one pair of forward facing and rearward facing short-range radars. 
     
     
       9. A system for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception around a transportation vehicle, said system comprising:
 a plurality of object detecting sensors adapted for being located on the vehicle and arranged for monitoring a corresponding plurality of critical zones located around the vehicle; 
 a plurality of addressable light-emitting diodes operatively associated with said object detecting sensors, and adapted for being located on the vehicle for visual display to the driver, wherein the addressable light-emitting diodes are integrated in a display mounted on a trailer pulled by the vehicle and located for visual display to the driver through a rearwardly directed exterior mirror mounted on the vehicle, and arranged in separate top, bottom, right, and left lines along respective top, bottom, right, and left marginal edges of the display, and wherein each of the addressable light-emitting diodes in the display represents one of the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle; and 
 a LED controller adapted for receiving a detection signal when a given sensor detects an object in the critical zone, and for transmitting a control signal to selectively activate only those addressable light-emitting diodes which are associated with said given sensor, such that said activated light-emitting diodes visually communicate to the driver a location of the detected object in the critical zone; and 
 said LED controller tracking realtime movement of the detected object throughout the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle by selectively activating and deactivating the addressable light-emitting diodes, wherein movement of the detected object into a first critical zone activates a first addressable light-emitting diode in the display, and further movement of the detected object outside of the first critical zone and into an adjacent second critical zone deactivates the first addressable light-emitting diode and activates a second addressable light-emitting diode, the second addressable light-emitting diode being located in the display adjacent the first addressable light-emitting diode; and 
 said LED controller illuminating the light-emitting diodes in the display in different colors in order to distinguish different ones of the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said display is adapted for being located inside a cab of the vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said display is adapted for mounting on a pillar inside the cab of the vehicle. 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said display comprises a LCD display. 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said addressable light-emitting diodes are adapted to selectively activate and deactivate when objects enter and leave the critical zone. 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said object detecting sensors comprise a plurality of radar transceivers adapted for directing radar waves into the critical zone, and for receiving reflected radar waves from any objects located the critical zone. 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 14 , wherein said radar transceivers comprise at least one pair of forward facing and rearward facing short-range radars. 
     
     
       16. A transportation vehicle comprising a system for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception, said transportation vehicle comprising:
 a plurality of object detecting sensors adapted for being located on said vehicle and arranged for monitoring a corresponding plurality of critical zones located around said vehicle; 
 a plurality of addressable light-emitting diodes operatively associated with said object detecting sensors, and adapted for being located on said vehicle for visual display to the driver, wherein the addressable light-emitting diodes are integrated in a display mounted on a trailer pulled by the vehicle and located for visual display to the driver through a rearwardly directed exterior mirror mounted on the vehicle, and arranged in separate top, bottom, right, and left lines along respective top, bottom, right, and left marginal edges of the display, and wherein each of the addressable light-emitting diodes in the display represents one of the plurality of critical zones around said vehicle; and 
 a LED controller adapted for receiving a detection signal when a given sensor detects an object in the critical zone, and for transmitting a control signal to selectively activate only those addressable light-emitting diodes which are associated with said given sensor, such that said activated light-emitting diodes visually communicate to the driver a location of the detected object in the critical zone; and 
 said LED controller tracking realtime movement of the detected object throughout the plurality of critical zones around said vehicle by selectively activating and deactivating the addressable light-emitting diodes, wherein movement of the detected object into a first critical zone activates a first addressable light-emitting diode in the display, and further movement of the detected object outside of the first critical zone and into an adjacent second critical zone deactivates the first addressable light-emitting diode and activates a second addressable light-emitting diode, the second addressable light-emitting diode being located in the display adjacent the first addressable light-emitting diode; and 
 said LED controller illuminating the light-emitting diodes in the display in different colors in order to distinguish different ones of the plurality of critical zones around said vehicle.